


Nightmares

by FriendOfTheFugitive



Series: Love In Kirkwall, Of All Places [2]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II
Genre: F/M, Fenris Needs a Hug, Hurt/Comfort, Nightmares
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-02
Updated: 2016-03-02
Packaged: 2018-05-24 08:32:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6147784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FriendOfTheFugitive/pseuds/FriendOfTheFugitive
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fenris has frequent nightmares, and Adria Hawke still is cautious about how to comfort him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nightmares

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! :)

A sharp whine pierced the air, seeping into her dream like a quiet call, the same way a mother would hear her baby cry in the early hours of morning. Her eyes opened quickly, a low exhale of breath pushing past her slightly parted lips. Her body was still heavy with sleep, slowly waking at the same pace of her mind. Her eyes adjusted to the darkness, focusing on the dull illumination of the moon through her thin curtains. The only thing she focused on was that he wasn't laying on the pillow next to her. “Fenris?” She whispered into the stillness of the room.

She felt a slight shift on the mattress followed by a noisy huff of breath, one that did not belong to a human. “I'm here,” was all he said. His voice was lighter than usual, as if he was lost in thought. The dull light bounced off his markings, illuminating them through the darkness. His back was hunched over, he was sitting on the side of the bed. The large, white mabari had her massive head on his knee. Her small eyes peered up at him, reflecting her concern for his sensed emotional distress. His hand pushed over her head, comforting her.

Hawke rose from the mattress, pushing the black strands of hair from her face. She examined him, quietly processing his state. Nightmares were common for him. Even after he destroyed his demons, their remnants still haunted his dreams. She reached for him, but stopped short, her hand pausing a centimeter from touching his back. In this situation, all she wanted to do was pull him into her arms and allow him to process through the wide arrange of emotions he felt, but Fenris felt differently. Sometimes he wanted company in moments of distress and other times he felt the need to solve his issues alone, as he had grown accustomed to doing.

She swallowed hard, her hand dropping back to the mattress. Her eyes strayed from him, moving to the curtains. “I did not mean to wake you,” he spoke, causing her heart to beat in her chest. She didn't know why the process of aiding him in dealing with his troubles made her so nervous. She didn't want to cause more damage or set him off. It was his past, how he chose to deal with it was completely up to him. “Lay down, Ravyn.” He commanded softly. The mabari turned and trotted back to her large bed in the corner of the room. She spun three times around herself before flopping down. Her head rested on her paws, her blue eyes still focused on the elf.

“You didn't . . . I was having trouble sleeping, anyways.” Adria lied through her teeth, not wanting him to feel bad about disturbing her. She put space between them as he slowly turned and moved back under the covers. She watched him carefully before sinking back into the covers and pulling them over her body.

“You're a terrible liar, Adria.” She could hear the slight smile in his voice. He knew she was trying to make things better, and he couldn't get mad at her for that. Her eyes widened when he tucked his arm under her head and pulled her into his chest. He kissed her forehead with soft lips, the breath from his nose gently ruffled the strands of her hair. “It was Varania, or perhaps a memory of her. We were children, chasing each other in a small home. I knocked over a vase and...a woman came in to scold me, perhaps she was my mother, I'm not sure. Varania mocked me for getting into trouble. The woman then chastised her for laughing at my expense. It became foggy...the pain returned. Ravyn sensed my distress and woke me. My brandings...”

He grew silent. She could hear the crack in his voice, the one of hurt and fear. “You don't need to finish...” she whispered against his skin. Her hand pressed against his chest as the other gently grabbed the back of his bicep, holding his arm closer to her. She looked up at him with concern in her eyes. His eyes were shut tightly, as if he was attempting to recall the rest of the memory - or he was trying to push it all away. She reached up and kissed just below his chin, causing the tightness in his eyes to unwind. She watched him until the slight reflective property of his rich green eyes could be seen.

He tilted his head down, the long strands of his hair tickled her forehead. He pulled her closer, and she nestled into his neck, melting into his body and holding him tightly against herself. “Thank you,” the words held more sincerity and love than Hawke had ever heard before. A tear formed in her eye as a smile pulled at her lips. Even if he never outwardly said it, she knew for a fact that he loved her - and the love he held was the purest thing she had ever experienced.

She was quiet for a few moments, listening to the speed of his breath, waiting for that moment when the pattern slowed and shallowed. His nose twitched, something that commonly happened before he slipped off into a quiet sleep. Her eyes were intent on him, studying his sleeping features. He was untroubled, finally at peace. A small smile pulled at her lips as she tucked her head under his chin. “I love you, Fenris,” she whispered, her breath brushed along his skin. She expected nothing back, and the words still gave her a rush in her stomach.

She couldn't see it, but his lips curved into a soft smile.


End file.
